Much of the forest, grasslands, and shrub lands of Khumbu region was traditionally managed by village assemblies, whose regulations were enforced by local officials called Nawa. These institutions continue to be maintained in eastern Khumbu (Khumjung VDC and the Khumbu Yul Lha Buffer Zone unit), the focus of this project. Khumjung VDC is also the site of the region?s major religious forests (lami nati and Gumpi nati), several of which are extensive and continue to be well-protected by villages and temples. These religious forests are protected from any felling of trees or cutting of branches ? like our community forests, these forests are important sources of grazing and collection of leaves and conifer needles for composting.

The community forests (kyakshing), community-managed grasslands (lotok nawa/dee rotational grazing system), and the religious forests (lami nati and gumpi nati) can all be considered to be what IUCN and the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity call ICCAs ? areas governed by Indigenous peoples and local communities whose management contributes to conservation.

The Sherpa people are one of Nepal?s legally recognized 59 Indigenous peoples. Khumbu is the most famous of the Sherpa areas in Nepal. It was made a hidden, sacred valley (beyul) more than 1,200 years ago by Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche). Buddhists believe it is a place of refuge, peace, and special spiritual qualities. Sherpas believe that no animals or other living beings should be killed, and that this is especially important in a Beyul.

Sherpa protection of wildlife, religious forests and other sacred places, and self-regulation of forest use and grazing in community forests and grasslands has been important to the achievement of SNP?s conservation goals.

Sherpa community-based conservation is also critical to continuing sustainable agriculture, pastoralism, and forest use. These institutions ensure that grazing is sustainable, there is sufficient hay available for over-wintering livestock, sufficient manure and compost are available for crop production, and forests continue to provide adequate firewood, timber, fodder, and grazing.

Community-based conservation is also important to Sherpa culture. Sherpa care of community forests and grazing lands and protection of sacred forests, lakes, springs, and the region as a whole as a sacred valley is connected to the identity of the Sherpa people and to Sherpa religion.

The Khumbu region of Nepal is a 1,100 km2 area in the high Himalaya on the border of Tibet in Solukhumbu District. In 1976 this region was declared Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park (SNP), including all of the area except for the villages and seasonal herding settlements. These villages and settlements became part of SNP Buffer Zone (SNPBZ) in 2002. In 1979 SNP was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Khumbu also contains a Ramsar Site, the Gokyo lakes.

These high valleys are surrounded by many high peaks, including three of the ten highest mountains in the world. Many, including Mt. Everest ? which Sherpa call Chomolungma ? are sacred mountains. Khumbu is the home today of more than 3,000 Khumbu Sherpas who live in two VDCs, Khumjung and Namche. The project will focus on Khumjung VDC, which has the region?s largest village, its highest forests, and still active community-based traditional systems of forest and grazing management and protection of religious forests.